Trouser adjusters



March- 1967 w. PAR'soNf ETAl 3,307,293

' TROUSER ADJUSTERS Filed Dec. 30, 1964 2 Sheets -Sheet J.

. INVENTOR VWLL/AM PARSONT EOSAL/E .5. M0450 1 ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,307,203 TROUSER ADJUSTERS William Parsont and Rosalie S. Wilson, Forest Hills, N.Y., assignors of one-tenth to Michael J. Parsont, Forest Hills, N.Y.

Filed Dec. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 422,111 15 Claims. (Cl. 2231) This invention relates to trouser adjusters, and is directed to means attachable to or constituting an integral part of trousers or slacks for adjusting the trouser rise and reducing or eliminating sagging at the rear portion of the garment.

It is a common occurrence for ready-made trousers or slacks, both for men and women, to be excessively loose at the regions of the seat and crotch, resulting in an unsightly appearance and at times in an uncomfortable feeling. One way of correcting this defect is to have the garment retailored, an operation that may require an adjusting of the rise by raising the crotch portion and performing other necessary tailoring steps. To avoid the cost of correction by tailoring, the use of suspenders is resorted toan expedient which many men find objectionable and which is not appropriate for women. Other expedients that have been attempted include the use of uplifting attachments connecting the trouser to the shirt or jacket, or devices extending from the front to the rear of the garment and in underlying engagement with the crotch of the wearer-expedients that have been found to be difiicult to apply, uncomfortable and costly.

It is the objective of our invention effectively to eliminate trouser sagging and excessive looseness of the character above described without the need to perform any tailoring operations and without the shortcomings inherent in known trouser lifters or similar devices. In the accomplishment of this objective we have devised a simple and novel means adapted for application only at the rear portion of the trousers and capable of reducing the trouser rise and taking up excessive slack.

Among other objects of this invention are the following: the ready adjustment by the wearer of the trouser rise to suit his requirements; the positioning of the device so as to be completely out of sight; the redistribution of the excess material taken up by the device into the region of the small of the back where such material can be readily and unnoticeably accommodated; the provision of a comfortable support for the wearer in yieldable hugging engagement with his back; and the ready attachment and detachment of the device in certain embodiments thereof.

And it is our further object to provide a readily fabricate-d and low-cost device having the aforesaid features and advantages.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the drawings and the description hereinafter given.

Referring to the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a pair of trousers provided with one form of our invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the rear portion of the garment of FIG. 1, looking from the inside, the inner Waistband being shown raised to reveal the device of our invention in its relaxed inoperative position.

FIG. 3 is a view like FIG. 2, with the inner waistband folded down, the device being shown in operatively attached and pulled-down position and in strained condition prior to being released to effect its lifting function.

3,307,203 Patented Mar. 7, 1967 ice FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the garment as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, with certain portions removed for clarity, illustrating one of the stays and its supporting pocket.

FIG. 5 is a view like FIG. 3, but showing the device in its released and operative lifting position, the dot-dash lines showing portions of the device in its position of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged section of FIG. 5 taken substantially along line 6-6.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary rear elevation of a modified form of our invention, looking from the inside, a portion being broken away for clarity, the device being shown in its relaxed unattached position.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged section of FIG. 7 taken substantially along line 88.

FIG. 9 is a view substantially like FIG. 7, the device being shown in its operative lifting position.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary rear view, looking from the inside, of another modification of our invention, a portion being broken away for clarity, the dot-dash lines showing the device in its pulled-down position prior to being released, and the full lines showing the device in its operative lifting position.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged section of FIG. 10 taken along line 11-11.

In the form of our invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6, the trouser 15 has the conventional rear panels 16 and 17 sewed together at the rear seam 18, the excess marginal material at said seam forming the two wings 19 and 20. The upper peripheral portion of the trousers has the conventional inner waistband 21 and outer waistband portion 21a, the drawing showing said waistbands encircled by the belt 22.

Suitably secured, as by stitching, to said wings 19 and 20 are the two elongated pocket members 23 and 24 extending substantially parallel to said seam 18, the top portion 25 of each of said pocket members being open and positioned preferably slightly below the upper edge 26 of the trousers, the bottom wall 27 of the pocket constituting its base. Positioned within the respective pockets 23 and 24 are the stiffener members 28 and 29, respectively, these being preferably stiff and resilient stays. The bottom end of each of said stays rests upon the base 27 of the corresponding pocket, the top ends of said stays preferably, although not necessarily, protruding from the top portions 25 of said respective pockets 23 and 24 and being engageable with the inner surface 30 (see FIGS. 4 and 6) of the waistband fold 26a. Secured to said pocket members 23 and 24 are the respective buttons 31 and 32, the points of securement being preferably near the bottom portions of said pockets.

Attached to the upper portion of the trousers in spaced flanking relation to said pockets 23 and 24 are the two buttons 33 and 34, the preferred position of these buttons, as illustrated, being below and in spaced relation to the said upper edge 26, and between said inner and outer waistband portions 21 and 21a, respectively. Supported by said buttons 33 and 34 is the lifting member 35, preferably a tension member made of elastic sheet material. In the form shown, said sheet 35 is of substantially triangular configuration, with a straight horizontal upper edge 36 and two downwardly and inwardly converging lower edges 37 and 38 meeting at the bottom apex 39, the arrangement being such as to provide two opposite sections generally designated 40 and 41, there being buttonholes 42 and 43 at the ends of said sections and in operative engagement with the said respective buttons 33 and 34. Positioned in the region of the bottom of said sheet 35 above its bottom apex 39 are the two pairs of buttonholes 44, 45 and 46, 47 proportioned for engagement with said pair of buttons 31, 32. It is to be noted that the said buttons 31 and 32 are poistioned below said buttonholes 44, 45 and 46, 47, and below said sheet 35 when the latter is in its normal position shown in FIG. 2.

In the operative application of this invention, the said sheet 35 is first attached to said buttons 33 and 34, in the manner indicated in FIG. 2. It will be noted that there are folds 48 at the rear panels 16 and 17 and the wings 19 and 20 due to an undesired loose fit. In its normal position the upper edge 36 of the sheet is horizontally disposed. The said sheet is then pulled down from its said normal position and a selected one of the pairs of buttonholes thereon brought into engagement with said buttons 31 and 32, FIG. 3 showing the attachment to buttonholes 46 and 47. In this lowered position the sheet 35 is in distorted condition and under strain, since the buttons 33 and 34 are stationary and the distance therebetween remains substantially constant. This is due to the fact that the waistband portion, aided by the belt 22, is at all times held in position around the waist of the wearer and maintained against displacement. Upon a release of the sheet 35, it will return from its position of FIG. 3 shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. to its normal position shown in full dines in the latter figure, During its upward return movement, the sheet, because of its attachment to the buttons 31 and 32, lifts these buttons, the Wings 13 and 20 and the attached pockets 23 and 24 upwardly; and since the trouser panels 16 and 17 are part of said wings 19 and 20, respectively, the adjacent portions of said panels are also lifted upwardly, thereby eliminating the said folds 48. With the upward movement of said pockets the said stays 28 and 29 are also correspondingly moved upwardly, since the bottoms of the stays are resting on the bases 27 of said respective pockets. And during such upward movement, the tops of said respective stays engage the inner surface 30 of the top fold 26a, forcing the top edge 26 upwardly into the region of the small of the back, such region being generally designated A in FIG. 5. This region, which is generally slightly recessed, thus serves the function of receiving the rear portion of the trousers that has been lifted upwardly, accommodating material equal to the excess garment material contained in said folds or other loose trouser areas, such as in the crotch or seat. Due to the relative stiffness of the stays, the rear of the trousers remains smooth and unruffled.

Should it be desired to additionally adjust the trouser rise or take up more loose material in the trouser seat, the other pair of buttonholes 44 and 45 is operatively attached to the buttons 31 and 32 in the manner aforesaid,

whereby a proportionately greater upward lift can be effected.

Should it be desired to remove the lifting member 35,

all that need be done is to fold up the inner waistband portion 21, in the manner shown in FIG. 2, and simply unbutton said member.

It has been found that with the structure above described, the elastic sheet 35, in its operative position, such as is illustrated in FIG. 5, urges the waistband portion of the trousers into a yieldable back-hugging position, thereby providing a comfortable support.

In the form of our invention shown in FIGURES 7 to 9, the lifting member 49, suitably attached to the waistbandportion 50, carries the two preferably elastic strips 51 and 52 extending downwardly in diverging directions. In this embodiment, there are two pairs of buttons, one pair 53, 54 attached to the stay-carrying pockets 55, 56 and another pair 57, 58 disposed outwardly of and flanking said pockets at a lower level. The said strips 51 and 52 have the respective buttonholes 59 and 60, adapted to be selectively attached to either of the said pairs of buttons, FIG. 9 showing the strips attached to the lower buttons 57 and 58. In this form, as in the first form above described, the rear panels of the trouser are lifted upwardly, the stays 61 and 62 forcing the top edge of the trousers upwardly, as illustrated.

FIGURES 10 and 11 illustrate still another embodiment in which the lifting member comprises the preferably elasticized band 63 and the elasticized tab 64 suspended from the middle of said band 63 by the ring 65. Attached to the rear portion 66 of the trousers is the buckle member 67 through which the said tab 64 adjustably extends. When the tab 64 is operatively pulled through the buckle and stretched, it will be under strain, and upon its release, it will move up and lift the buckle 67 and attached rear trouser portion upwardly.

In the various forms of our invention above described, a convenient means is provided for adjusting the rise of trousers and eliminating sagging by a simple manual manipulation. The device is invisible, easy to install, comfortable to wear, and of low-cost construction.

In the above description, the invention has been dis closed merely by way of example and in preferred manner; but obviously many variations and modifications may be made therein. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any form or manner of practicing same, except insorfar as such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a pair of trousers including a peripheral waistband portion and a seat portion, the combination of a trouser adjuster, said adjuster comprising an elastic lifting member, means fastening said member in the region of its end portions to the rear interior portion of said Waistband portion, at least the major portion of said member being below the top edge of said waistband portion, second fastening means on said member, cooperative fastening means on the interior portion of the seat of said trousers disposed below said second-mentioned fastening means and operatively engageable with said second-mentioned fastening means when the elastic member is yieldably pulled downwardly to the level of said cooperative fastening means, whereby upon the operative upward return of said member from said lower level the said seat portion of the trousers will be correspondingly lifted upwardly.

2. In a pair of trousers the combination according to claim 1, said lifting member being of flexible material and extending across the medial rear portion of the trousers, at least a portion of said member in the medial region thereof being movable between a normal upper position and the level of said cooperative fastening means.

3. In a pair of trousers having a peripheral waistband portion and a medial seam portion with two inner marginal wings, the combination of a trouser adjuster, said adjuster comprising a lifting member, means attaching said member in the region of its end portions to the rear interior portion of said waistband portion, at least the major portion of said member being below the top edge of said waistband portion, said member having an elastic portion, fastening means on said member, cooperative fastening means on said wings and disposed below said first-mentioned fastening means and operatively engageable with said latter fastening means when said member is yieldably pulled downwardly to the level of said cooperative fastening means, whereby upon the operative upward return of said member from said lower level the said seat portion of the trousers will be correspondingly lifted upwardly.

4. In a pair of trousers including a peripheral waistband portion and a seat portion, the combination of a trouser adjuster, said adjuster including an elastic lifting member, means fastening said member in the region of its end portions to the rear interior portion of said waistband portion, at least the major portion of said member being below the top edge of said waistband portion, second fastening means on said member, cooperative fastening means on the interior portion of the seat of said trousers disposed below said second-mentioned fastening means and operatively engageable with said second-mentioned fastening means when the elastic member is yield- :ably pulled downwardly to the level of said cooperative fastening means, and stiffening means attached tosaid trouser seat and extending from the region of said cooperative fastening means upwardly to the region of said waistband portion, whereby upon the operative upward return of said member from said lower level said stiffening means and said seat portion of the trousers will be correspondingly lifted upwardly.

5. In a pair of trousers the combination according to claim 1, said lifting member extending across the medial rear portion of the trousers and being attached thereto at the laterally opposite ends of said member, the medial portion of said member being free for yieldable downward movement.

6. In a pair of trousers the combination according to claim 1, said cooperative fastening means comprising a plurality of fastening elements at different levels, whereby different degrees of upward pulls may be selectively applied to said seat portion.

7. In a pair of trousers the combination according to claim 1, said lifting member being a sheet of substantially triangular configuration with a base edge in the region of said waistband portion and extending across the rear medial portion thereof and side edges converging downwardly and joining at an apical portion, said fastening means of said member being in the region of said apical portion, and securing means attaching laterally opposite sections of said member to said waistband portion.

8. In a pair of trousers the combination according to claim 1, wherein said first means attaching said lifting member to said waistband portion are detachable securing means, and said fastening means on said member and said cooperative fastening means on said seat being detachably engageable.

9. In a pair of trousers having a seat portion and overlapping inner and outer peripheral waistband portions, the combination of trouser adjuster, said adjuster comprising a lifting member made of an elastic sheet having at least a portion thereof positioned between said inner and outer waistband portions, the uppermost portion of said sheet being spaced below the uppermost edges of said waistband portions, means attaching said member adjacent its ends to said outer waistband portion, fastening means on said member, cooperative fastening means on the interior portion of the seat of said trousers disposed below said second-mentioned fastening means and operatively engageable with said second-mentioned fastening means when the elastic member is yieldably pulled downwardly to the level of said cooperative fastening means, whereby upon the operative upward return of said member from said lower level the said seat portion of the trousers will be correspondingly lifted upwardly.

10. In a pair of trousers including a peripheral waistband portion and a seat portion, the combination of a trouser adjuster, said adjuster including an elastic lifting member, means fastening said member in the region of its end portions to the rear interior portion of said waistband portion, at least the major portion of said member being below the top edge of said waist band portion, second fastening means on said member, cooperative fastening means on the interior portion of the seat of said trousers disposed below said second-mentioned fastening means and cooperatively engageable with said second-mentioned fastening means when the elastic memher is yieldably pulled downwardly to the level of said cooperative fastening means, and a stay attached to said trouser seat and extending from the region of said cooperative fastening means upwardly to and engageable with said waistband portion, whereby upon the operative upward return of said member from said lower level said stay, engaged waistband portion and seat portion will be correspondingly lifted upwardly.

11. In a pair of trousers including a peripheral waistband portion and a seat portion, the combination of a trouser adjuster, said adjuster including an elastic lifting member, means fastening said member in the region of its end portions to the rear interior portion of said waistband portion, at least the major portion of said member being below the top-edge of said waist band portion, second fastening means on said member, cooperative fastening means on the interior portion of the seat of said trousers disposed below said second-mentioned fastening means and operatively engageable with said second-mentioned fastening means when the elastic member is yieldably pulled downwardly to the level of said cooperative fastening means, a pocket member attached to said trouser seat and extending from the region of said cooperative fastening means upwardly to the region of said waistband portion, a stay within and supported by said pocket member, the top of said stay being engageable with said waistband portion, whereby upon the operative upward return of said member from said lower level said stay, engaged waistband portion and seat portion will be correspondingly lifted upwardly.

12. In a pair of trousers having a peripheral waistband portion and a medial seam portion with two inner marginal wings, the combination of a trouser adjuster, said adjuster including an elastic lifting member, means attaching said member to the rear interior portion of said waistband portion, fastening means on said member, cooperative fastening means on at least one of said wings and disposed below said first-mentioned fastening means and operatively engageable with said latter fastening means when said member is yieldably pulled downwardly to the level of said cooperative fastening means, .a stay attached to one of said wings and extending from the region of said cooperative fastening means upwardly to and engageable with said waistband portion, whereby upon the operative upward return of said member from said lower level said stay, engaged waistband portion and seat portion will be correspondingly lifted upwardly.

13. In a pair of trousers having a peripheral waistband portion and a medial seam portion with two inner marginal wings, the combination of a trouser adjuster, said adjuster including an elastic lifting member, means attaching said member to the rear interior portion of said waistband portion, fastening means on said member, cooperative fastening means on said wings and disposed below said first-mentioned fastening means and operatively engageable with said latter fastening means when said member is yieldably pulled downwardly to the level of said cooperative fastening means, a pocket member on each wing and extending from the region of said cooperative fastening means upwardly to the region of said waistband portion, a stay within each of said pocket member and supported thereby, the tops of said respective stays being in engagement with said waistband portion, said cooperative fastening means being positioned on said respective pocket members, whereby upon the operative upward return of said member from said lower level said stay, engaged waistband portion and seat portion will be correspondingly lifted upwardly.

14. A trouser adjuster according to claim 1, said lifting member comprising a flat sheet and depending elastic means, said elastic means having an elastic strip attached to and extending downwardly from said sheet, said members fastening means being disposed on said strip.

15. A trouser adjuster according to claim 1, said lifting member comprising a band extending across the rear medial portion of said waistband portion and a tab attached to and extending downwardly from said band, said cooperative fastening means comprising a 1,142,580 6/1915' -J6nes 2 -79 buckle member, said ta b being in adjustable engage 2,821,719 2/ 1958 Meaker 2'231' ment with said buckle member.

' v FOREIGN PATENTS References Cited by the Examiner 3 37 476 2/1904 F e,

UNITED STATES PATENTS 826,929 7/1906 Freeman 2 327 JORDAN FRANKLIN, P m y Examiner- 845,430 2/1907 Nathan 2--231 A. R. GUEST, Assistant Examiner.- 

1. IN A PAIR OF TROUSERS INCLUDING A PERIPHERAL WAISTBAND PORTION AND A SEAT PORTION, THE COMBINATION OF A TROUSER ADJUSTER, SAID ADJUSTER COMPRISING AN ELASTIC LIFTING MEMBER, MEANS FASTENING SAID MEMBER IN THE REGION OF ITS END PORTION TO THE REAR INTERIOR PORTION OF SAID WAISTBAND PORTION, AT LEAST THE MAJOR PORTION OF SAID MEMBER BEING BELOW THE TOP EDGE OF SAID WAISTBAND PORTION, SECOND FASTENING MEANS ON SAID MEMBER, COOPERATIVE FASTENING MEANS ON THE INTERIOR PORTION OF THE SEAT OF SAID TROUSERS DISPOSED BELOW SAID SECOND-MENTIONED FASTENING MEANS AND OPERATIVELY ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID SECOND-MENTIONED FASTENING MEANS WHEN THE ELASTIC MEMBER IS YIELDABLY PULLED DOWNWARDLY TO THE LEVEL OF SAID COOPERATIVE FASTENING MEANS, WHEREBY UPON THE OPERATIVE UPWARD RETURN OF SAID MEMBER FROM SAID LOWER LEVEL THE SAID SEAT PORTION OF THE TROUSERS WILL BE CORRESPONDINGLY LIFTED UPWARDLY. 